Foldable chair and rack



April 10, 1962 B. B. JUNKUNC FOLDABLE CHAIR AND RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1959 April 10, 1962 B. B. JUNKUNC FOLDABLE CHAIR AND RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1959 3,029,105 FOLDABLE EHAER AND RACK Bela B. Jnnlrune, 10370 Prospect, Chicago, Ill. Filed Mar. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 802,100 Claims. (Cl. 297-189) This invention relates to a foldable chair, and is particularly concerned with a foldable chair provided with a rack for hats and books and such other articles as the user of the chair may desire to place thereon, and with means for preventing a person folding or unfolding the chair from pinching his fingers between the legs of the chair and a link interconnecting the legs.

Foldable chairs of the type with which the present invention is concerned usually have an inverted U-shaped frame, the arms of which form the front legs of the chair and the bight portion of which receives and holds the back rest member. A seat is pivctally connected to the front legs at an intermediate position between the front and the back of the seat. At its rear edge or at the rear end of side plates secured to the sides of the'seat, the seat is pivotally connected to a pair of spaced posts forming the rear legs of the chair.

Often the pivot point for the connection between the seat and the rear legs is a fixed point rather than a slidable one with respect to the rear legs. In such instances, a link connection is provided between the front legs and the rear legs above the seat to coordinate movement of the legs during folding and unfolding operations and to properly position the legs to provide a safe structure.

This link connection, however, is often the source of considerable difficulty. Frequently, when unfolding chairs of this type the person handling the chair will have a finger caught and pinched between a link and the chair legs to which the link is connected.

The present invention provides an arrangement that ameliorates this problem and provides a link connection between the front and rear legs which is so arranged that a person operating the chair is less likely to have his fingers caught or pinched between a link and the legs connected to the link.

The hinge links provided by the present invention and connecting the rear legs of the chair to the front legs or frame are each L-s'haped to provide finger room between the legs of the chair. The hinge link causes the legs to move apart adjacent the link when the chair is folded or unfolded and provides finger space and thereby prevents the user of the chair from pinching his fingers between tllrae legs of the chair when folding and unfolding the c air.

Another difliculty which is confronted by users of foldable chairs of this type was the lack of any provision on the chair to accommodate and to support hats and books and other articles off of the floor. Permanently set-up chairs are often provided with some sort of a hat rack or book rack thereon. However, foldable chairs have not been provided with such supporting racks, prior to the present invention, inasmuch as attempts to provide such racks seriously interfered with the folding of the chair and prevented proper closure of the chair in a folded position.

In accordance with the present invention, however, this diliiculty is also obviated and there is provided a rack which is foldable with the chair so as to lie in the general plane of the chair when the chair is folded and so as to lie in a substantially horizontal position when the chair is opened or unfolded.

A foldable chair rack in accordance with the present invention is pivotally connected to the rear legs of the chair or to the spacer or cross-brace between the rear legs of the chair. The front portion of the rack rests on a rack support and front leg spacer or cross-brace. These ice parts are all so arranged that when the chair is moved from an unfolded position to a folded position, the parts will so move with respect to each other so as to cause the rack to fold and move to a position in alignment with and substantially in the plane of the other parts of the chair.

An illustrative embodiment of a rack in accordance with this invention is shown in the drawing as being made of a plurality of bent wire loops that extend across the chair from front to back and joined by a wire loop extending transversely of the chair.

The rack is substantially horizontal when the chair is open in seating position, so that articles may be supported thereon. When the chair is folded into closed position, the front cross brace moves upwardly and rearwardly, relative to the back legs of the chair. As the front crossbrace moves upwardly and rearwardly, it slides under the rack and moves it upwardly and rearwardly about the axis of the cross-brace for the rear legs, which cross-brace acts as a pivot. When the chair is completely folded, the rack is held in an upright position by cooperation of the pivot at the rear end of the rack and the front cross bar, and the end of the rack is held against the bottom of the chair seat.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention and a structure by means of which the above noted and other advantages of the invention are attained is" described in detail in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying the invention in open, or seating position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the chair of FIGURE 1 in its folded or closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially along the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a detail perspective view of one end of the rear side of the rack showing one of the brackets by means of which the rack is clamped to the rear legs of the chair;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side view, partly in elevation, and partly in section, showing the chair in open, or seating position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view, similar to FIGURE 5, but on reduced scale, showing the chair in an intermediate position as it is being folded towards its closed position;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the chair in its closed, or folded position; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view, showing the rack pivotally mounted on the rear crossbrace.

A foldable chair embodying the present invention is shown in the drawings as including an inverted U-shaped front frame 2 the arms of which form front tubular legs 3 and 4 connected at the upper ends by an integral transverse member or bight portion 5. A back rest 6 extending across the upper portion of the front frame is secured to the upper end of legs 3 and 4 and the bight portion 5 in any suitable manner. The front legs are also reinforced and held in properly spaced relation intermediate their length by a cross-brace or spacer 7, which is preferably welded to the legs.

A pair of posts forming rear legs 8 and 9 are connected together and held in substantially parallel spaced relation by a pair of spaced cross-braces 10 similar to the front cross-brace 7. The rear legs are hingedly connected to front frame 2 by L-shaped hinge links 11. The longer legs of the hinge links 11 are pivoted to the front frame at 12. and the shorter legs pivoted to rear legs d and 9 at 13 adjacent the upper ends of the rear legs. The pivotal connections between the links 11 and the legs of the chair are provided at the free ends of the arms of the links with the free end of the shorter arm of each of the links connected to the rear legs of the chair adjacent to the upper end of the rear legs. The free end of the longer arms of each of the links is connected to a front leg of the chair and so disposed that when the chair is in a folded position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 7, the long arm of each of the links will be substantially aligned with the front legs of the chair. Further, the positioning of the pivot points on the links and on the legs is such that when the chair is in open or unfolded position, the shorter arm of each of the links will be substantially aligned with the rear legs of the chair as shown in FIG- URES l and 5.

This alignment arrangement and positioning of the hinge links 11 and of the arms of the links with respect to the front legs and rear legs of the chair when the chair is in its open position and when the chair is in its closed position permits a person unfolding the chair to operate the chair without being endangered by having his fingers pinched between a hinge link and the legs to which the link is connected. The link configuration and the positioning of the pivot points thereon with respect to the legs of the chair provide a substantially increased operating space between the links and the legs as shown in FIGURES l and so that ample space is provided to accommodate the fingers of the user of the chair and to prevent catching and pinching the persons fingers. This enlarged space is shown in FIGURES l and 5 as a triangle defined by the longer leg of a hinge link, the portion of the front legs between the hinge point of the longer leg and the point of abutment thereof by the top of the rear leg, and the portion of the rear leg between its upper end and the point on the 'rear leg which corresponds to the intersection of the arms of the hinge link when the chair is in an open position.

The hinge links 11, and their position on the chair as described above, are coordinated with a seat 14 for the chair and the mounting of the seat on the front and rear legs to provide for proper folding and unfolding of the chair. The seat 14 may be of any suitable construction such as the construction shown wherein the seat is stamped and formed sheet metal and provided with an edge beaded peripheral flange. A pair of reinforcing straps or seat links 15 are secured to opposite sides of the seat, respectively, adjacent to the rear edge thereof. The opposite sides of the seat and each of the straps or seat links 15 are pivotally secured at 16 to the front legs of the chair. Ward edge of the seat, the links 15 are pivotally connected as at 17, to the rear legs 8 and 9.

The seat 14 with the seat links 15 secured thereto on opposite lateral sides thereof pivotally connected to the front legs and with the seat links pivotally connected to the rear legs form a cooperative arrangement with the hinge links whereby when the chair is in an open position, the upper ends of the rear legs will abut the back of the front legs, the legs will be positively supported in an inverted V relation and the seat will be positively supported in a noncollapsible substantially horizontal or slightly rearwardly tilted position for positive and comfortable support of a user of the chair, whether the user sits on the seat of the chair or stands thereon. By this arrangement, when the chair is in an unfolded position the seat is firmly supported against inadvertent tilting or collapsing regardless of the position of the point on the :seat where a downward force may be applied thereto. Thus, this chair, with the pivot point of the seat links :disposed at the rear edge of the seat, is safe and the seat thereof is supported against inadvertent tilting even if a person stands on the chair with his entire weight disposed .at the rear edge of the seat.

The rearward ends of the seat links 15 are slightly inclined at an obtuse angle with respect to the forward portion .of .the links as indicated at 18. This angular disposi- At their rearward ends, adjacent to the rear- 1 tion of the rearward ends of the seat links is coordinated with the configuration of the hinge links and the dimensions thereof in such a manner that when the chair is in a folded position, the rear legs and front legs will be juxtaposed and substantially parallel, and the seat 14 will be disposed in alignment with and between the front legs 3 and 4-, in substantially the same plane as the inverted U-shape frame 2. This arrangement permits the chair to be folded to a minimum front to rear dimension which is very little greater than the sum of the diameters of the front and rear tubular legs.

The hinge link and seat link arrangement for coordinating the movement of the chair legs when the chair is being folded or unfolded, in accordance with this invention is also cooperatively arranged with a rack that is hingedly tied to the rear legs of the chair and pivotally supported by the front legs cross-brace or spacer 7 for coord'nated movement of the rack with the chair seat, legs and links, between an upstanding folded position and a substantially horizontal, article supporting, unfolded or open position. The coordinated operation of these elements, including the links, the legs, the cross-braces or spacers and the rack is described in detail below in conjunction with a rack embodying this invention and operatively assembled in combination with a folding chair in accordance with the present invention.

A rack forming an illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGURES 1-6, inclusive, as comprised of a plurality of identically bent wire loops 19 which extend from the front to the rear of the chair, and a bent wire loop 20 extending transversely to loops 19 and secured thereto as by welding to form a composite assembly. The rack may be formed of either a single wire suitably bent to provide an article supporting area, or of two or more suitably bent wires extending angularly to each other and interconnected or secured together in any desirable manner, or the rack may be made of suitable sheet or bar strip material, as desired.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 5 each loop 19 has a horizontal front section 21, a downwardly extending section 22, a horizontal intermediate section 23 and a rear section 24 which extends upwardly at a slight angle. Rear section 24 is offset adjacent to the end of intermediate section 23, as indicated at 25. The rear end of each loop 19 is secured to a Wire or rod 26, as by welding at 27. The front end of each loop 19 rests on crossbrace 7. Rod 26 is pivotally secured at its ends to brackets 28 having a pair of curved arms 29 adapted to embrace the rear legs of the chair. The arms 29 of brackets 23 are held in clamped relationship to legs 8 and 9 by means of bolts or screws 3d, which extend through the brackets and between the arms to clamp the arms onto the legs, when tightened.

The pvotal mounting of the rack at the rear edge thereof at the rear of the chair, and its supported position in combination with the cross-brace or spacer 7 between the front legs 3 and 4 of the chair are cooperatively arranged with the chair legs and links in such a manner that when the chair is moved from the unfolded positfon as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5 through the halffolded position shown in FIGURE 6 to a fully folded position as shown in FIGURES 2 and 7, the rack will automatically and positively be moved from a substantially horizontal, article supporting position to a folded, substantially upright position. As the chair is folded, due to the particular link arrangement of the chair of this invention, the rear legs will move downward with respect to the front legs and the legs will move from an inverted V position to a substantially parallel, juxtaposed position. As the bottom ends of the legs move I closer together and as the upper end of the rear legs the cross-brace 7 moves rearwardly under the angularly disposed section 22 of the rack, the camrning effect of the relationship between the cross'brace 7 and the portion 22 of the rack causes the rack to move upwardly, pivotally about its pivotal connection to the rear legs of the chair.

As the legs move closer together, th rack continues to ride forwardly with respect to the cross-brace 7 until the chair legs are in a parallel, juxtaposed pos tion. When the chair is in a fully closed position, the cross-brace 7 will bear against the angular rear section 24 of the rack. The offset intermediate portion of the rack permits the front substantially straight portion 21 thereof to bear aga nst the under surface of the seat thereby providing a firmly held, upright, folded pos'tion for the rack. In this position, the rack, in the intermediate portion 23 thereof, will bear against the bead on the edge of the flange on the chair seat so as to further enhance the clamping and holding of the rack in an upright, folded position.

In reverse movement, when the chair is unfolded or opened, since the weight of the rack is disposed forwardly of the pivot support thereof, the rack will swing in sliding movement rearwardly and downwardly over the front legs cross-brace 7 until the char is fully open.

The pivot structure for the folding chair rack of this invention as described above may be modified by extending the crossrod 26 into apertures in the rear legs 9. In this arrangement the brackets 28 are eliminated but the rack pivots in substant'ally the same manner as described above when the chair is folded or closed.

Another embodiment of a rack in accordance with this invention is shown in FIGURE 8 wherein a rod or wire 26 has its ends curled, as indicated at 31, to fit around cross-brace 11 extending between rear legs 8 and 9 of the chair. Curled ends 31 fit loosely around the cross-brace to permit the rack to pivotally move between its open and closed positions when the chair is opened or closed. The operation of the rack is identical in both embodiments of the invention.

Although I have described the invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

I claim:

1. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs, a cross brace extending between said front legs and secured thereto, a pair of rear legs, and a rack, said rack having its rear end pivotally supported adjacent said rear legs and its front end supported on said cross brace, said rack being offset in its intermediate portion, whereby when said chair is folded said rack is caused to slide on said cross brace and pivot upwardly as said chair is folded from its open to its closed position.

2. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs, a cross brace extending between said front legs and secured thereto, a pair of rear legs, a pair of L-shaped hinge links pivotally securing said rear legs to said front legs, respectively, and a rack, said rack having its rear end Secured to a transverse rod, a pair of brackets pivotally secured to opposite ends of said transverse rods, each of said brackets being clamped to one of said rear legs, the front end of said rack resting freely on said cross brace, and the intermediate portion of said rack being curved longitudinally, to cause the front end of said rack to slide upwardly and rearwardly as said chair is folded from its open to its closed position.

3. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs, a cross brace extending between said front legs, a pair of rear legs hinged to said front legs, a seat pivotally mounted on said front and rear legs, a rack pivotally supported adjacent said rear legs, the front edge of said rack being supported freely upon said front cross brace, said rack being movable upwardly and rearwardly at its front end by sliding engagement with said cross brace as said chair is folded to closed position, said cross brace holding said rack substantially parallel to said legs with the front edge of said rack adjacent the underside of said seat when said chair is in closed position.

4. A folding chair comprising two front legs, a front cross bar extending between said front legs, two rear legs hinged to said front legs, a rear cross brace extending between said rear legs, a rack having a rear edge pivotally secured to said rear cross brace and a front edge resting freely on said front cross brace, said rack being so shaped as to be pivoted upwardly about said rear cross brace and its front edge rearwardly into a position with said rack substantially parallel with said legs when said chair is folded into closed position.

5. A folding chair comprising a pair of front legs, a pair of rear legs hinged to said front legs, a cross brace extending between said rear legs, a rack having a transverse rod at its rear end, said rod having each end curled around said cross brace to pivotally secure said rack thereto, and means extending between said front legs to support slidably the front end of said rack when said chair is in seating position, said means holding said rack substantially parallel to said legs when said chair is in closed position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PAraNrs 328,322 Lindsay Oct. 13, 1885 2,177,186 Nordrnark Oct. 24, 1939 2,694,442 Nordmark Nov. 16, 1954 2,706,517 Dexter Apr. 19, 1955 2,748,841 Rimkus June 5, 1956 2,843,188 Spencer July 15, 1958 2,877,829 Ferar Mar. 17, 1959 2,975,825 Gedris et a1 Mar. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,440 Great Britain June 1, 1921 

